The Tapptoons Animation Studio provides facilities for animation artists to produce finished broadcast quality animation images in the form of AVIs or bitmaps to be carried through to other computer editing systems.
So, what is a linetester for? When animators working in the conventional 2D drawn animation method first start drawing an animated scene they tend to work in a rough, sketchy style which helps them get a feeling for the motion of characters. These rough drawings are the basis of `linetests` using a computer with input from either a videocamera or a flatbed scanner.
These rough tests are not intended for the viewing public but as a help for animators and directors and, when the scene is finally approved by the animation director, the drawings will then be traced in the `cleaning up` process which will result in the final pencil line quality required. The finished drawings will then be scanned into a computer programme for the addition of colour and effects.
All the features of the Linetester will be included. Imports from a scanner or video camera (with a compatible capture card, not all will work), and the facility to draw frames using a mouse or graphic tablet and pen directly into the computer system.
A range of video output resolutions from 320 up to 1024 pixels in width, 240 to 576 pixels in height.
Ten animation levels and one background level.
A choice of line colour. Erasure of unwanted match lines.
Pre-programmed snow and rain effects.
Provision for moving backgrounds and individual levels in any direction. Backgrounds can be up to four times the final image height or width and continuous backgrounds constructed. Backgrounds can be imported bitmaps or scanned in from existing artwork or drawn directly into the computer system.
Semi-transparent levels ( or combination of levels ) can be built for `ghost` effects, the transparency being variable to allow images to fade up or down on chosen frames. |
